Meet Heather M Valey | Conservation Media Creator & Naturalist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Heather M Valey and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Heather, what do you want your legacy to be?
I would like for people to remember me as someone who wants to do their best to help. It’s been important to me that I apply my creative work to a cause I believe in and that could benefit the world. I spent 20 years in the video game industry and left because I felt I was not contributing in a meaningful way to society. Creating media for conservation efforts is my way of applying my creative energies to a cause that I hope will change the world in beneficial ways. This is how I strive to be remembered as a helper.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My first career was as a sound designer & composer for video games. I worked on numerous titles including “Sims Pets 4”, and “EverQuest II” and a countless number of games you may not recognize the titles of. Working in this industry for many years taught me that you can create artful things that are a functional part of a bigger work. I’ve taken this philosophy with me into my new career where I create media (photography, video, sound) to help tell conservation stories for non-profits and publications.

The thing about creative work is that you are never done learning, there is always something you could do better next time, or a new technique to learn. However, I find this to be the exciting part of working in a creative field.

I’ve spent the last 7 years working on creating visual content by attending Austin School of Photography and Conservation Story Teller Academy as well as attending many workshops. Additionally, I completed my Texas Master Naturalist Certification in Austin Texas, and have been studying natural history here in Colorado since we moved here in 2020.

In this profession, the knowledge of the natural world is just as important as the craft of photography, video, and sound.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If I was entertaining a friend from out of town, I’d love to give them a taste of the wonderful nature and history of this great state. Some of the places I would take them would be: Denver Museum of Natural History

Denver Zoo
Kirkland Museum
Denver Botanical Gardens
Hike at Chautauqua
Rocky Mountain National Park
A trip up to South Park to see the old Mining Town in Fairplay

Also, Denver has a pretty good art scene and I would want them to get a taste for that as well by visiting:

Meow Wolf
Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art
Denver Art Museum

As for food…

Brunch at Lot One
Breakfast at the Village Coffee Shop in Boulder
Home Grown Tap & Dough in Old Towne Arvada for pizza
The BlueGrass for some great whisky cocktails


The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
A handful of conservation photographers have been very generous in offering their mentorship, and I’m very grateful for that. I was able to come into contact with these great people through attending multiple photography workshops at Summit Workshops which is based in Denver. This is a great company that hosts multiple photography workshops a year in different genres. Their teachers are top-notch.

Website: www.heathervaley.com

Instagram: @heather_valey

Image Credits
Daniel Valey.